I Met Him in the Summer

13. Who're We Without Each Other ... We're Both Alone

There were so many interviews that they all blend together.

Son, can you tell us —

and

We only want to help you —

and

Can you start from —

and

Can you tell us —

He doesn't want their help today or tomorrow. He wants to be left alone so he can spend his last full day with Sarawat. After that, they can do how many interviews they want with him.

Tine is drained, though. He's had a very incredibly long day.

Everything feels numb and cold.

Tine goes back to bed.

____________________

Tine is in control.

He's not going to spin his life in circles.

Tine is fine.

It happened. It was unfortunate. It's in the past now, and that doesn't mean he has to be holing himself up in his room, crying. It's normal. It happens to many kids out there, not just him. And far worse than what he went through, really.

So, why are people staring at him like he should be breaking down or something?

(It's a small town, so everyone's heard a version of the truth by now.)

Tine's father isn't doing so well, though.

He blames himself, Tine doesn't see why his father should and he's worried about his dad. He doesn't want him to drink himself to death because that will kill Tine in return.

He loves his dad, regardless of the drinking. He can't see himself living without him. They've been through everything together and even though, they don't have much in life, his father made sure to make it up with love, support and affection.

He has been the one constant in his life.

And that's what children need.

Tine and Sarawat are fine.

Sarawat doesn't look at him with pity in his eyes. He looks at him like he always does and that's refreshing. They talked, he told him what had happened, Sarawat expressed himself and that was that.

End of story.

The man never existed.

Tine is a liar.

Because he knows what helplessness feels like. Currently, it's curling up inside him, like a snake. He forces the feeling down and walks out the door to meet Sarawat.

____________________

Sarawat thinks he might be dying.

Scratch that — there's no way he isn't.

It's his last day and the heat is blazing, the sun rays shooting like lasers through his car windows, turning his grandfather's car into an oven and making it absolutely unbearable to withstand.